Hoisting apparatus.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

A.G.MONKS. HOISTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1907;

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No. 873,157. PATENTED DEG. 10,1907. A. e, MONKS. HOISTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1 5. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

AROHIBALD G. MONKS, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907'.

Application filed February 15,1907- Serial No. 357.441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHI-BALD G. Monks, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hoisting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hoisting apparatus and particularly to that class of hoisting apparatus in which a hoisting bucket depends from a trolley movable upon a trolley boom.

The principal object of my invention is to provide improved means for controlling the movements of the trolley and the bucket in such manner as to save time and expense in operating the apparatus, to save wearand tear of the apparatus, and otherwise to produce more efficient and convenient hoisting apparatus than has hitherto been devised.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 illustrates, in a somewhat conventional or diagrammatic form, an inclined boom hoisting apparatus containing an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 illustrates in similar form a horizontal boom hoisting apparatus containing an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 3 shows details, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of certain forms of hoisting drums, together with a clutch operating mechanism suitable for carrying my invention into effect; and Fig. 4 shows an end view of said drums and their gear connections.

While my invention is applicable to hoisting apparatus generally, in which a trolleyway, trolley and depending bucket are employed, its application to an apparatus for hoisting coal in the process of unloading it from vessels is sufficiently characteristic of the invention, and illustrates one of its most useful applications, and I will therefore address my specification for the purposes of illustration to such coal handling apparatus. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not limited to coal handling apparatus, but is applicable to hoisting apparatus designed for other purposes, and such general use is contemplated by the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like and analogous parts are indicated by like reference numerals in all the figures, 1 represents a hoisting tower provided with the trolley-way or boom 2. In Fig. 1 the boom is shown inclined, and in Fig. 2 the boom is shown horizontal,two

well known forms of towers and booms. The trolley or carriage 3 movable along the trolley-way or boom 2 may be of a usual and well known form. The hoisting bucket, herein shown as a coal grab 4, is suspended by a cable 5, usually termed a holding cable, adapted to raise and lower the bucket. A suitable motor, such as the engine 6, operates the holding cable 5, by winding it on the drum or Windlass 7.

The apparatus as thus far described is a simple form of an old and well known coal hoisting apparatus. The usual operation of such apparatus as practiced without the use of my invention is to wind the holding cable 5 upon drum 7 until the grab 4 is hoisted into contact with trolley 3 whereupon the grab comes to a full stop. The trolley will not have been operated at all up to this moment, being held against inward movement by its own weight and that of the grab, in the inclined boom hoisting tower as shown by Fig. 1, and by the weight W on the cable 8 connected with the outer end of the trolley and passing over the sheaves 9 and 10, in the horizontal boom hoisting tower as shown in Fig. 2. After the grab has come up against the trolley and is stopped, thewinding of cable 5 on drum 7 is resumed and draws the trolley inwardly along the boom until the bucket reaches the position over the hopper or chute 11 where it is to be discharged.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the grab instead of being hoisted from its lowermost point to its point of discharge by a single continuous movement through a substantially direct path, is first hoisted vertically to the boom, and there stopped, and then is hauled inwardly along the boom. Much time is therefore lost both by reason of the fact that the path described by the grab is two sides of a triangle instead of a more direct path between the ends of the travel of the grab, and also by reason of the necessity of bringing the. grab to a stop when it strikes the trolley. Furthermore, the hoisting of the grab into contact with the trolley sub- -jects the apparatus to a severe shock often breaking and always seriously wearing the parts.

It is to overcome these difliculties, and otherwise to improve the efficiency and lengthen the life of the apparatus, that my invention is designed. By its use the grab will be hoisted and the trolley hauled inwardly at the same time, so that instead of I than has hitherto been possible.

following a path composed of two straight lines of different directions, and striking the trolley and coming to a stop at the point of the change of direction, the grab will follow a continuous and relatively more direct path between its extreme points of travel, namely,

the points of loading and discharging, thus saving time over that consumed in operating existing apparatus, and saving the apparatus from the wear and tear caused by the shock of the grab against the trolley.

In what I believe to be the bestembodiment of my invention, the path of the grab will be substantially vertical to a predetermined point, so that the grab may be lifted straight up from the hold of a vessel or other loading point, whereafter it will follow a curved path similar to the curve of a parabola gradually tending to become near and nearer parallel with the path of the trolley, so that when it is lifted up to the boom it will be traveling nearly parallel therewith. This will prevent any serious shock between the grab and the trolley, and at the same time the course of the grab will be continuous instead of interrupted, and materially shorter Moreover all of the foregoing results will be accomplished automatically by means of a single motor without any attention on the part of the operator, and without the necessity of two engines, one to operate the holding cable and the other to operate the trolley cable, as has heretofore been suggested, said engines being controlled by different operators working in conjunction. These results may be accomplished by means of the following mechanism, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The gear 12 is secured to the drum 7 which may be cylindrical as usual; Another gear or pin-v ion- 13 is in mesh with and operated by gear 12, and the gear 13 in turn is in mesh with and operates gear 14 loosely mounted to rotate on shaft 15. Drum 7 operates the holding cable 5 and may be turned in the usual way by engine'6 through the connecting rod 16 and crank 17. A second drum or windlass 18 is mounted to rotate on shaft 15 to operate the trolley cable. Drum 18 is preferably tapered or conical as shown and may be provided with spiral grooves 19 to guide the cable 20 as it is wound upon the drum.

The side of the gear 14 toward drum- 18 is provided with a friction clutch surface 21, and a cooperative friction clutch surface 22 is provided on the opposing end of drum 18.

r The shaft 15 is mounted in suitable bearings 23 and 24 with provision for endwise movement therein. The drum 18 is fixed to shaft 15 so as to partake of any endwise movement of the shaft. Secured to the end of shaft 15 is a piston 25 movable in the cylinder 26. A coil spring 27 surrounds the shaft 15, abutting at one end against the bearing 24, and at the other end against a shoulder fixed to the shaft, and normally tends to urge the shaft toward the left in Fig. 3 and thus to keep the clutch surfaces 21 and 22 apart. Cylinder 26 is providedwith an inlet port 28 and an outlet or exhaust port 29 controlled by a slide valve 30 which closes the exhaust port when it opens the inlet port, and vice versa. The valve 30 is provided with the actuating rods 31 and 32. An operating arm 33 is fixed to rod 31, and an operating lever 34 engages rod 32.

Mounted in the same framework which supports the drums is the screw shaft 35 provided with the pinion or gear 36 in mesh with gear 14. An internally screw-threaded traveler 37 is mounted on screw shaft 35. The traveler 37 is held from turning with the screw shaft by the guide rod 38 which'passes through a hole in the traveler, thus holding the traveler against rotation but permitting it to be moved lengthwise of the screw shaft when the latter is turned. A spring finger 39 is pivoted to the traveler at 40 and is held by a pin 41 against rotation in the direction of pin 41.

The operation of the clutch 22, 21, by the above described mechanism is as follows-: Gear 14, loose upon shaft 15, is driven whenever gear 12 on cylindrical drum 7 is rotated; gear 36 is driven by gear 14, turning screw shaft 35 and causing the traveler to move lengthwise thereof; When the finger 39 comes into contact with arm 33 the valve 30 is operated to open the inlet port 28 of the cylinder 26 and close the exhaust port 29. Inlet port 28 communicates by means of pipe 42 with a source of liquid, vapor or gas pressure such as the steam supply pipe of the hoisting engine, (not shown). When the valve 30 opens the inlet port 28, it admits steam orother pressure into cylinder 26, and the piston 25 is forced to the right in Fig. 3, overcoming the resistance of spring 27, and carrying with it the shaft 15 and drum 18 and setting the clutch surfaces 22 and 21 whereupon the drum 18 will be caused to rotatewith gear 14. The screw shaft 35 continues its rotation in the same direction, causing the traveler 37 to continue its movement to the left in Fig. 3. The finger 39 is made of sprin steel of sufiicient stiffness to operate the va ve arm 33 to shift the valve as above described, but'sufiiciently resilient to bend backward when the arm 33 has reached its limit of movement to permit the end of the spring finger 39 to lift and slip past the end of arm 33. As soon as the spring finger 39 has slipped past arm 33 it again straightens out and is in condition to operate the other valve lever 34. The lever 34 will then have assumed the position shown in dotted lines. The traveler continues its movement until finger 39 engages and operates lever 34 moving it into the position shown in solid lines, whereupon, the valve will again close the inlet port and open the exhaust port, thus relieving the pressure within the cylinder and permitting the spring to force the shaft 15 again toward the left (Fig. 3) and disengage the clutch members 22 and 21, whereupon the drum 18 will cease to rotate. When the movement of the ears is reversed the traveler will be returned to its original position, the pivotal connection 40 allowing the finger 39 to be lifted when it strikes arm 33, and readily to pass by it.

The above described mechanism effects the following operation of the hoisting apparatus: When the engine 6 is started, drum 7 is operated to wind the holding cable 5. The grab will bethereby lifted vertically until the traveler finger 39 causes the piston 25 to set the clutch 22, 21. The traveler37 is so adjusted with relation to the valve operating arm 33. as to set-the clutch at the moment when the grab shall have reached the desired predetermined point clear of the vessel V or other receptacle where the grab is loaded. Upon the setting of the clutch between the drum 18 and gear 14 the trolley cable will begin to be wound upon drum 18 following the spiral groove, and to haul the trolley inwardly, at first slowly, and at a gradually increasin speed by reason of the conical shape of the rum.

The broken line (Figs. 1 and 2) represents the path of the grab. From the loadin point to the point a the path is vertical, an from the point (t to thepoint b the path is curved-the result of the vertical movement which is constant and the lateral movement which is continually accelerating. At the point I) the grab will be in contact with the trolley and from the point I) to the dischar ing point over the hopper 11 the grab will travel parallel with the boom. The path a I) being the result of a constant and a variable will resemble the curve of a parabola, though it is not strictly such.

The traveler finger 89 and the lever 34 are also relatively so adjusted that the former will actuate the latter to disengage the clutch 22, 21 at the desired'predetermined point before or after the grab reaches its discharging point as. desired. The holding cable 5 will at that time be sufficient to hold the trolley from running outwardly since the grab will be hauled up short against the trolley. As soon as the clutch is released the trolley cable will be free to unwind and the grab may be returned to the loading point in the usual way. If it should be desired to return the grab by the same path in which it was hoisted, the clutch releaser could be arranged to be operated by the return of the traveler 37 at the moment when the grab had again reached point a during its return movement. It will be clear that if desired the cables and drums can be relatively so adjusted and proportioned that the grab will not strike the trolley at all, but will reach its discharging point before it is hoisted to the trolley.

I believe that the best embodiment of my invention is in an inclined boom hoisting tower, such as that illustrated in Fig. 1. When the trolley-way is inclined, the path of the grab, when the trolley cable is being wound at its maximum speed and the grab strikes the trolley, (assuming that the grab a is hoisted into contact with the trolley and that the diameter of the cylindrical drum and the maximum diameter of the holding drum are equal) will be inclined at an angle of substantially 45, since the peripheral speeds of the two drums at that point will be substan tially equal. As the trolley-way is also in clined the path of the grab when it meets the trolley will be approximately parallel with the path of the trolley, and there will be no appreciable shock between the grab and the trolley. 1

Where the trolley-way is horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2, obviously the conditions will be somewhat less favorable since the ath of the grab and the path of the trolley wi 1 be less nearly parallel when they come together. Nevertheless the advantages of my invention will be realized ina measureable degree in a horizontal boom hoisting tower. Furthermore, with my invention, as already stated, the grab need not be hoisted into contact with the trolley at all.

To limit the outward movement of the trolley upon the boom, a stop in the form of a chock block 43 is provided. This chock block is adjustable along the boom, so that the grab may be brought to the desired loading point, and is moved outwardly by the weight 44 suspended from cable 45 connected with the block 43 and passing over sheave 46.

It is hauled inwardly by cable 47 which passes around sheave 48 and sheave 49, and is secured to some fixed part of the tower. Sheave 49 is suspended by cable 50 passing over sheaves 51, operated by an auxiliary engine 52. Journaled on the same aXis with sheave 49 is sheave 53 over which the trolley cable 20 passes as shown. When the chock block is moved by shortening or letting out cable 50 and thereby raising or lowering sheave 49, the trolley cable 20 will also be taken up or let out an equal amount by the movement of sheave 53. It will not usually be found necessary to provide any similar take up for the holding cable 5.

The chock block may be stationary, instead of movable, if desired; or it may be dispensed with altogether in which case the trolley cable could be relied upon to stop the trolley. No take up would then be necessary.

It will be seen that the objects of my invention may be attained by the use of any form of difierential drum or Windlass which ing rate ofspeed, as well as by the conical drum 18. Even a cylindrical drum imparting to the trolley a constant rate of speed would in some measure serve the purpose. The path of the grab, although continuous and adapted to reduce the force of the shock between the grab and the trolley, would then be straight between the points where the trolley operating drum was engaged and disengaged.

The best results in practice will, I believe, be obtained when the path is curved, as described, and therefore I recommend the use of some form of differential drum. Neither is my invention limited to apparatus employing a single holding cable or fall. I have shown a single holding cable in order to simplify the description as much as possible, but the invention is equally applicable to what is known as double fall apparatus, and to other arrangements of the operating cables.

I have also omitted to show for the sake of clearness and simplicity, additional cables which may be used for closing the jaws of the grab, commonly called closing cables, since they form no part of the present invention.

It will also be understood that other forms of automatic clutch setting mechanisms than that described may be used, and that the form of apparatus above described may be other wise departed from without departing from the spirit of my invention;

By the use of theword bucket herein, I intend to include not only'the coal bucket or grab-illustrated by the drawings, but any form of receptacle or carrier which will hold and carry the material to be hoisted. The

particular form of carrier is not essential to my invention.

I claim:

1. In a hoisting-apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a motor for operating the holding cable, and means automatically operated by the same motor to operate the trolley cable While the holding cable is being operated, to cause the bucket to be simultaneously hoisted and hauled inwardly upon a continuous path between its loading and discharging points.

2. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-'way,,

a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for controlling the movementof the trolley along the trolley-way, a motor for operating the holding cable, and means automatically operated by the motor after the bucket hasbeen hoisted to a predetermined point, to operate the trolley cable while the olding cable is being operated, to cause the operating the holding cable, and means also operated by the motor to operate the trolley cable at an increasing rate of speed while the holding cable is being operated, to cause the bucket to be simultaneously hoisted and hauled inwardly upon a curved path.

4. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of y the trolley along the trolley-way, a motor for operating the holding cable, and means automatically operated by the motor after the bucket has been hoisted to a predetermined point, to operate the trolley cable at an increasing rate of speed while the holding cable is being operated, to cause the bucket tobe simultaneously hoisted and hauled inwardly upon a continuous curved path.

5. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-Way, a drum driven from a motor for operating the holding cable, a second drum for operating the trolley cable, the former drum being rotatable independently of the latter, and means automatically to cause said drums to rotate together after the former drumhas operated the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point, whereby the bucket will follow a continuous path between its loading and discharging points.

6. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-Way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a cylindrical drum driven from a motor for winding the holding cable, a differential drum for winding the trolley cable at an increasing rate of speed, the cylindrical drum being rotatable independently of the differential drum, and means automatically to cause said drums to rotate together after the cylindrical drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point, whereby the bucket will follow a continuous curved path between its loading and discharging points.

I 7. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a cylin- 130 drical drum driven from a motor for winding the holding cable, a conical drum for winding the trolley cable at an increasing rate of speed, the cylindrical drum being rotatable independently of the conical drum, and means automatically to cause said drums to rotate together after the cylindrical drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point, whereby the bucket will follow a continuous curved path between its loading and discharging points.

8. In ahoisting apparatus, atrolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a drum for winding the holding cable, a second drum for winding the trolley cable, the former drum being rotatable independently of the latter, connection between said drums comprising a normally disengaged clutch, and means automatically to set the clutch to cause the drums to rotate together afterthe former drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point.

9. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a cylindrical drum for winding the holding cable, a conical drum for winding the trolley cable, the cylindrical drum being rotatable independently of the conical drum, connection between said drums comprising a normally disengaged clutch, and means automatically to set the clutch to cause the drums to rotatetogether after the cylindrical drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point.

10. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a drum for winding the holding cable provided with a gear rotating with the drum, a second drum for winding the trolley cable fixed to a shaft movable endwise inits bearings, a gear loose upon said shaft and provided with a clutch member on the side adjacent to the drum, a cooperating clutch member at the end of said second drum, and means automatically to shift said second drum endwise to engage said clutch members after the first named drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point.

11. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a drum for winding the holding cable provided with a gear rotating with the drum, a second drum for winding the trolley cable fixed to a shaft movable endwise in its bearings, a gear loose upon said shaft and provided with a clutch member on the side adjacent to the drum, a cooperating clutch member at the end of said second drum, a spring normally urging said clutch members apart, a cylinder at the end of said shaft, a piston operatively connected with said shaft and working in said cylinder, 7

and means automatically to operate said piston to set said clutch by admitting pressure into the cylinder after the first named drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point.

12. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movablethereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, adrum for winding the holding cable provided with a gear rotating with the drum, a second drum for winding the trolley cable fixed to a shaft movable endwise in its bearings, a gear loose upon said shaft and provided with a clutch member on the side adjacent to the drum, a cooperating clutch member at the end of said drum, a spring normally urging said clutch members apart, a cylinder at the end of said shaft provided with inlet and exhaust ports, a valve for controlling said ports, a piston operatively connected with said shaft and adapted to shift the same endwise, a traveler to operate said controlling valve, and means to move the traveler when the first drum is rotated to cause the traveler to operate said valve at a predetermined time during the rotation of first named drum, whereby the clutch will be set and the two drums will rotate together after the bucket has been lifted to a predetermined point.

13. In a hoisting apparatus, an inclined trolley-way, a tro ley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for hauling the trolley up the inclined trolleyway, a motor for operating the holding cable, and means also operated from the motor to operate the trolley cable at an increasing rate of speed while the holding cable is being operated, to cause the bucket to travel on a continuous curved path between its loading and discharging points.

14. In a hoisting apparatus, an inclined trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended. below said trolley by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for hauling the trolley up theinclined trolley-way, a motor for operating the holding cable, and means also operated from the motor automatically to cable is being operated, to cause the bucketto travel on a continuous curved path between its loading and discharging points.

15. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a hoisting'cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trol ley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a motor for operating both of said cables, a stop or abutment movable upon the trolley-way to limit the outward movement of the trolley, a cable for controlling and holding said stop, and a take up device operated simultaneously with the movement of said. stop to take up and let out the trolley cable to compensate for the movement of said stop;

16. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolleyway, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended. below said trolley' by a holding cable adapted to raise and lower the bucket, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a motor for operating both. of said cables, a stop or abutment movable upon the trolley-way to limit the outward movement of the trolley, a cable for controlling and. holding said stop, a pair of sheaves mounted on a movable axis, over .one of which the trolley cables pass and over the other of which the stop cable passes, and means to move said sheaves whereby the stop will be moved and simultaneously the trolley cable will be taken up or let out to compensate for the movement of the stop.

17. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a drum driven from a motor for operating the holding cable, a second drum for operating the trolley cable, the former drum being rotatable independently of the latter, and means automatically to cause said drums to rotate together after the former drum has operated the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined. point, whereby the bucket will follow a continuous path betwen its loading and discharging oints, and means automatically to stop t e operation of the second drum at a predetermined point during the operation of the bucket.

18. In a hoisting apparatus, a trolley-way, a trolley movable thereon, a bucket suspended below said trolley by a holding cable, a trolley cable for controlling the movement of the trolley along the trolley-way, a drum for winding the holding cable, a second drum for winding the trolley cable, the former drum being rotatable independently of the latter, connection between said drums comprising a normally disengaged clutch, and means automatically to set the clutch to cause the drums to rotate together after the former drum has wound the holding cable to lift the bucket to a predetermined point, and means automatically to disengagethe clutch members to stop the operation of the second drum at a predetermined, point during the operation of the bucket.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this sixth day of February 1907.

ARCHIBALD G MONKS.

I/Vitnesses ROBERT CUsI-IMAN, GRAN VILLE JOHNSON. 

